Justice News

23rd Member Of Cocaine Conspiracy Sentenced

Madison, Wisconsin -- John W. Vaudreuil, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Kevin Sobrolske, 48, Watertown, Wis., was sentenced yesterday for his role in a long-term investigation into cocaine trafficking in Jefferson County.

Sobrolske was sentenced to one year of probation by U.S. District Judge Barbara B. Crabb, who noted that Sobrolske avoided a prison term because he had not committed any new crimes since withdrawing from the conspiracy in 2008 and his conduct was limited to pooling money so he and others could use cocaine.

Twenty-two individuals were previously sentenced to prison as a result of this long-term drug investigation that began in November 2007 in Jefferson County. In addition to the individuals sentenced above, two individuals who have been indicted for their role in the conspiracy remain fugitives: Celestino Velazquez-Rodriguez and Emmanuel Pineda-Gonzalez.

Beginning in February 2008, the United States received authority from Judge Crabb to conduct wiretaps on several of the telephones being used by Maximo and Efrain Pineda-Buenaventura to conduct a drug operation run out of multiple dwellings in Watertown and a residence in Janesville. Approximately 8,000 calls were monitored by law enforcement officers between February and June 2008 in which members of the conspiracy were overheard conducting drug transactions and making arrangements to facilitate the sale of large amounts of cocaine in the Western District of Wisconsin.

On June 19, 2008, law enforcement officers executed 11 search warrants in the Western and Eastern Districts of Wisconsin, resulting in the arrest of several defendants in Watertown, the seizure of over $100,000 in United States currency, several automobiles, and multiple kilograms of cocaine.

The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation; Dodge County Sheriff's Department; Jefferson County Drug Task Force; Fort Atkinson Police Department; Watertown Police Department; and Janesville Police Department. The prosecution of this case has been handled by Assistant United States Attorney Paul W. Connell.